National Planning Policy Framework

Imagine building new towns the size of Kingsbridge, Dartmouth and Totnes or an Ivybridge about twice the size over the next 10 years in the South Hams, utter madness. Yet, this is what the government wants us to consider. Consultation on the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sounds rather innocent, but it’s not. South Hams District Council has sent its response this week. Government wants us build over 850 new houses per year, up from around 330. It’s an increase of around 165% and the highest increase in the South of England.

Putting aside the impact on our beautiful countryside, the creaking infrastructure just can’t take it. We already have raw sewage pumped into our waterways and floating around our towns when it rains. Main roads gridlocked and back lanes impassable; Doctor’s appointments a collector’s item and NHS dentists non-existent.

Madness

The new methodology to calculate housing numbers includes the ratio between house prices and local wages. In the South Hams we have one of the highest ratios in the country. It would be funny if it wasn’t so serious, but there is a belief that if we give 1000’s of planning permissions then simplistic supply-and-demand will kick in and the prices will come down. Yet, we all know what happens if house prices weaken, the builders just stop building. It would be a funny business model that builds to harm its own profit margins!

There is nothing in the new NPPF to force developers to speed up their delivery. As we have seen at the new town Sherford outside Plymouth; permission for 5500 new houses being built at about 250 a year by the developers. Like the Middle East oil producers, the last thing they want to do is flood the market with their produce. We cannot be complicit in this madness; it would be negligent on our part.

Unsustainable Economic Growth

In the South Hams we have about 900 households on our housing lists. If we spent the next few years just building the houses we actually needed, we could solve our housing crisis without destroying our environment. The recent report of the Devon Housing Commission clearly shows most new houses are bought by people retiring here from other parts of the country. Nothing wrong with that, who wouldn’t want to retire down here. However, where are the houses our communities need?

It's clear, despite all the rhetoric, the Government’s main priority around housebuilding is economic growth. It’s true we will get a fraction of so-called affordable homes, the problem is locals can’t actually afford them. Of course we need to boost economic growth and productivity in particular, but the British obsession with housebuilding doesn’t work. We must not allow, probably the most beautiful place in the country, to be sacrificed on the altar of short-term economic growth that is anything but sustainable.

No Housing shortage

It’s a myth we don’t have enough houses in this country. There are 3 million more homes than households in the UK. About 9 million houses have at least 2 permanently empty bedrooms. Why can’t we have new ways of realising this resource rather than continuously want to build more. Yes, the homes we need. No to unsustainable house building.